Major Controversies Surrounding Tom Brady: A Detailed Timeline

Public opinion and media debates around Tom Brady—discover key moments of controversy.

Tom Brady is a retired American football quarterback, renowned as one of the greatest of all time. He played 23 seasons in the NFL, initially with the New England Patriots where he spearheaded a dominant dynasty from 2001-2019, winning multiple Super Bowls. He concluded his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Brady's unparalleled success and longevity have solidified his legacy in football history.

Sections (7)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals Legacy & Impact

May 6, 2015: NFL publishes Deflategate report

On May 6, 2015, the NFL released a report concerning the deflation of footballs in the previous season's AFC Championship Game, concluding that Tom Brady was likely aware of the intentional deflation.

2015: Brady's suspension vacated by Judge Berman

In 2015, Judge Richard M. Berman vacated Tom Brady's suspension, allowing him to play in the first four games of the 2015 NFL season. Judge Berman cited the NFL's failure to provide proper notice to Brady of the charges against him.

2016: Declined to Speak at Republican National Convention

In 2016, Donald Trump invited Tom Brady to speak at the Republican National Convention. Brady declined the invitation due to discomfort with mixing friendship and political support.

2016: Suspension Interrupts Start Streak

In 2016, Tom Brady's second streak of consecutive starts ended due to suspension.

2016: Brady's Four-Game Suspension Overturned

In 2016, the decision to vacate Tom Brady's four-game suspension was overturned by the U.S. Appeals Court. Circuit Judge Barrington Daniels Parker Jr. wrote that they could not "second-guess" the arbitration but were merely determining it "met the minimum legal standards established by the Labor Management Relations Act of 1947". On July 15, Brady announced that he would give up his Deflategate fight and accept his suspension for the first four regular season games of the 2016 season.

April 2020: Brady discusses Trump on The Howard Stern Show

In April 2020, Tom Brady discussed his relationship with Donald Trump on The Howard Stern Show. He mentioned declining an invitation to speak at the 2016 Republican National Convention and stated that he hadn't spoken to Trump in "years" by 2022.

2021: Paid Spokesperson for FTX

In 2021, Brady was a paid spokesperson for FTX, a cryptocurrency exchange.

February 2022: Mike Florio reveals NFL falsified data in Deflategate

In February 2022, sportswriter Mike Florio revealed that the NFL falsified data and hid information that would have cleared Tom Brady and the Patriots of wrongdoing in the Deflategate scandal. Florio's book "Playmakers: How the NFL Really Works (And Doesn't)" revealed that NFL executives jumped to conclusions about the air pressure inside the Patriots' footballs and that 11 of the 12 Patriot footballs used in the game were actually not outside the predicted range of Ideal Gas Law.

Playmakers: How the NFL Really Works (And Doesn't)

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February 2022: Securities Act Extends to Social Media

In February 2022, the U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in a lawsuit against Bitconnect that the Securities Act of 1933 extends to targeted solicitation using social media.

2022: Brady says he has not spoken to Trump in years

In 2022, Tom Brady stated that he had not spoken to Donald Trump in "years" and that their relationship had been mischaracterized.

2023: Losses from FTX Bankruptcy

In 2023, it was reported Brady owned 1 million shares in FTX, and he and his wife lost an estimated combined value of $45 million when FTX went bankrupt.